7 MAY 1948, Page 14

Men of science put apples into two classes: diploids and

triploids ; and though the division depends on chromosomes (which must remain Greek to most of us), it is necessary to know which sorts are triploids. These, as a rule, will not fertilise their neighbours, so it is necessary to plant near them different diploids which shall fertilise the triploids and one another. The triploid is much the smaller class, grows big and is slower to fruit. The commonest are Bramley's Seedling and Blenheim Orange. It has been discovered by some cultivators of cider apples that it is unwise to